Cap assembly for medicament delivery device

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure relates to a cap assembly for a medicament delivery device. The cap assembly comprises: a cap body arranged to be mounted to a proximal end of a medicament delivery device for protecting and for removing a medicament delivery member shield. The cap body has an inner cap structure defining a channel extending along the central axis of the cap body, and a gripping member configured to be received in the channel. The gripping member is radially flexible and has a first leg, a second leg, and a connecting portion extending between the first leg and the second leg. The first leg and the second leg each has a proximal portion that is radially flexible and extends distally from the connecting portion. Each proximal portion has an inclined section extending radially inwards in an axial direction away from the connecting portion. Each of the first leg and the second leg has a distal portion extending from the inclined section, the distal portions being radially flexible and extending radially outwards in an axial direction away from the proximal portions to allow the gripping member to receive a medicament delivery member shield between the distal portions. The gripping member and an inner wall of the channel are configured to engage to retain the gripping member in the inner cap structure. Each distal portion is provided with a medicament delivery member shield gripper configured to engage with a medicament delivery member shield when the gripping member engages with the inner wall of the channel and the gripping member has received a medicament delivery member shield causing the proximal portions and the distal portions to flex radially inwards.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to medical devices. Inparticular, it relates to a cap assembly for a medicament deliverydevice, to a medicament delivery device comprising the same, and to amethod of assembling a medicament delivery device.

BACKGROUND

Medicament delivery devices, such as injectors and inhalers, typicallycomprise a housing in which a medicament container containing amedicament is to be arranged. Upon activation of the medicament deliverydevice, the medicament is expelled through a medicament delivery member,for example a needle or a nozzle.

In order to protect and to keep the medicament delivery member sterile,the medicament delivery member may be provided with a medicamentdelivery member shield, or sheath, such as a Flexible Needle Shield(FNS) or a Rigid Needle Shield (RNS). The medicament delivery membershield may thus be attached to the medicament container to cover themedicament delivery member, during assembly of the medicament containeror of the medicament delivery device.

Moreover, the medicament delivery device may comprise a removable capwhich is mounted to the proximal end of the housing, i.e. that end whichis placed towards the injection site during medicament delivery, of themedicament delivery device, or to the proximal end of the medicamentcontainer. The removable cap has the function of providing mechanicalprotection of the medicament delivery member while attached to thehousing or medicament container, and to remove the medicament deliverymember shield when the cap is removed from the housing.

WO2015/144871 A1 discloses a sheath removal mechanism for removing aprotective needle sheath from a medicament from a medicament containerthat is to be arranged in a medicament delivery device. The sheathremoval mechanism comprises a cap attachable to a proximal end of themedicament delivery device. The cap comprises at least one ledge adaptedto engage the protective needle sheath, and has a proximal opening. Anassembly tool can be provided into the proximal opening from the frontside of the cap to splay sheath removal beams on the inner side of thecap apart such that the protective needle sheath may be received betweenthe sheath removal beams. By removing the assembly tool, the beams willno longer be splayed, and the ledge will thereby engage the protectiveneedle sheath.

SUMMARY

According to WO2015/144871 A1, an assembly tool has to be used to splaythe sheath removal beams apart so that the cap may receive theprotective needle sheath. The assembly procedure of the cap with theprotective needle sheath is hence rather complex.

In view of the above, a general object of the present disclosure is toprovide a cap assembly which simplifies assembly of a medicamentdelivery device.

There is hence according to a first aspect of the present disclosureprovided a cap assembly for a medicament delivery device, the capassembly comprising a cap body arranged to be mounted to a proximal endof a medicament delivery device for protecting and for removing amedicament delivery member shield, which cap body has an inner capstructure defining a channel extending along the central axis of the capbody, and a gripping member configured to be received in the channelwith a friction fit and to receive a medicament delivery member shield,wherein the gripping member has a first leg, a second leg, and aconnecting portion extending between the first leg and the second leg,which connecting portion defines a leading edge of the gripping memberwhen received by the channel, the first leg and the second leg having arespective proximal portion that are radially flexible and extendingdistally from the connecting portion, each proximal portion having aninclined section extending radially inwards in an axial direction awayfrom the connecting portion, and a respective distal portion extendingfrom the inclined section, the distal portions being radially flexibleand extending radially outwards in an axial direction away from theproximal portions to allow the gripping member to receive a medicamentdelivery member shield between the distal portions, the gripping memberand an inner wall of the channel being configured to engage to retainthe gripping member in the inner cap structure, and each distal portionbeing provided with a medicament delivery member shield gripperconfigured to engage with a medicament delivery member shield when thegripping member engages with the inner wall of the channel and thegripping member has received a medicament delivery member shield causingthe proximal portions and the distal portions to flex radially inwards.

The gripping member is placed in the channel of the inner cap structureduring assembly. Therefore no additional special tool is necessary forthe assembly procedure of the cap with the medicament delivery membershield. Once the gripping member has been properly installed in thechannel, engaging therewith, the medicament delivery member shield maybe inserted between the first and second legs of the gripping member andinto the channel by bringing the two components together, especiallysince the distal portions extend radially outwards in a distal directionalong the central axis of the gripping member. The oppositely inclinedconfiguration of the proximal portions and the distal portions, and thedimensioning between the oppositely arranged first leg and second legensures that when the medicament delivery member shield is pushed inbetween the first leg and the second leg maximally into the grippingmember, the proximal portion and the distal portion will expandradially. The medicament delivery member shield grippers will as aresult be moved radially inwards and engage with the medicament deliverymember shield if the gripping member is arranged in the channel, whichdelimits radial outwards expansion of the first leg and the second leg.Assembly of a medicament delivery device comprising a cap and medicamentdelivery member shield may hence be facilitated.

According to one embodiment the configuration of the inclined sectionsand the distal portions form a waist of the gripping member.

According to one embodiment each distal portion has a straight extensionfrom the corresponding inclined section to the medicament deliverymember shield gripper.

According to one embodiment each medicament delivery member shieldgripper extends radially inwards.

According to one embodiment each medicament delivery member shieldgripper is formed by a radially inwardly curved end portion of thecorresponding distal portion.

According to one embodiment the channel has opposing inner walls thatextend in parallel in the longitudinal direction of the cap body.

According to one embodiment the opposing inner walls extend in parallelwith each other along the entire extension of the channel.

According to one embodiment the gripping member is made of metal.

According to one embodiment the gripping member and the inner wall ofthe channel are configured to engage when the gripping member ismaximally received in the channel.

According to one embodiment the connecting portion has a radialprotrusion and the channel has at least one recess for receiving theradial protrusions for locking the gripping member in the maximallyreceived position.

According to one embodiment the connecting portion has a cylindricalsection, wherein the radial protrusion extends circumferentially alongan external surface of the cylindrical section, and wherein the at leastone recess extends circumferentially along an inner surface of thechannel.

There is according to a second aspect of the present disclosure provideda medicament delivery device comprising: a housing arranged to receive amedicament container and a medicament delivery member shield, whichhousing has a proximal end and a distal end, and a cap assemblyaccording to the first aspect, configured to cover the proximal end ofthe housing.

One embodiment comprises a medicament delivery member shield having adiameter that is greater than a shortest distance between the proximalportions of the first leg and the second leg, wherein the longitudinalextension of the first leg and the second leg is longer than the lengthof the medicament delivery member shield to allow the medicamentdelivery member shield grippers to engage with a distal end of themedicament delivery member shield when the medicament delivery membershield and gripping member are arranged in the channel of the inner capstructure.

One embodiment comprises a medicament delivery member shield having adiameter that is greater than a shortest distance between the proximalportions of the first leg and the second leg, and having a flexiblerubbery external surface, wherein the longitudinal extension of thefirst leg and the second leg is shorter than the length of themedicament delivery member shield to allow the medicament deliverymember shield grippers to engage with the external surface of themedicament delivery member shield when the medicament delivery membershield and the gripping member are arranged in the channel of the innercap structure.

According to a third aspect of the present disclosure there is provideda method of assembling a medicament delivery device, comprising: a)providing a cap assembly comprising: a cap body having an inner capstructure defining a channel extending along the central axis of the capbody, and configured to receive a medicament delivery member shield, anda gripping member configured to be received in the channel with afriction fit and to receive a medicament delivery member shield, thegripping member having a first leg, a second leg, and a connectingportion extending between the first leg and the second leg, the firstleg and the second leg having a respective proximal portion that areradially flexible and extending distally from the connecting portion,each proximal portion having an inclined section extending radiallyinwards in an axial direction away from the connecting portion, and arespective distal portion extending from the inclined section, thedistal portions being radially flexible and extending radially outwardsin an axial direction away from the proximal portions to allow thegripping member to receive a medicament delivery member shield betweenthe distal portions, the gripping member and an inner wall of thechannel being configured to engage to retain the gripping member in theinner cap structure, and each distal portion being provided with amedicament delivery member shield gripper, b) pushing the grippingmember into the channel, with the connecting portion defining theleading edge of the gripping member, until the gripping member engageswith the inner wall of the channel, c) placing the cap assembly at aproximal end of a housing of the medicament delivery device, d) placinga medicament container assembly including a medicament delivery membershield into the housing, from a distal end of the housing, e) moving themedicament container assembly in a proximal direction inside the housinguntil the medicament delivery member shield is received between thefirst leg, the second leg and the medicament delivery member shieldpushes the first leg and the second leg radially outwards, and themedicament delivery member shield grippers engage with the medicamentdelivery member shield.

Generally, all terms used in the claims are to be interpreted accordingto their ordinary meaning in the technical field, unless explicitlydefined otherwise herein. All references to “a/an/the element,apparatus, component, means, etc. are to be interpreted openly asreferring to at least one instance of the element, apparatus, component,means, etc., unless explicitly stated otherwise.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The specific embodiments of the inventive concept will now be described,by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 shows a side view of an example of a medicament delivery device;

FIG. 2 shows a side view of a cap assembly of the medicament deliverydevice in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a gripping member having been subjectedto a longitudinal section;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section of an example of a cap body of a capassembly;

FIG. 5a is a longitudinal section of a proximal portion of themedicament delivery device in FIG. 1 during assembly of a medicamentdelivery member shield and the cap assembly; and

FIG. 5b is a longitudinal section of a proximal portion of themedicament delivery device in FIG. 1 when the medicament delivery membershield has been assembled with the cap assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The inventive concept will now be described more fully hereinafter withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplifyingembodiments are shown. The inventive concept may, however, be embodiedin many different forms and should not be construed as limited to theembodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided byway of example so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete,and will fully convey the scope of the inventive concept to thoseskilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout thedescription.

The term “proximal end” as used herein, when used in conjunction with acap assembly, refers to that end of the cap assembly which, when mountedto a medicament delivery member shield installed on a medicamentdelivery member in a medicament delivery device, forms the proximal endface of the medicament delivery device. The proximal end of themedicament delivery device is hence that end which is to be pointedtowards the site of injection during medicament expulsion. The sameconsiderations also apply when referring to any component of the capassembly, i.e. the cap body and the gripping member. The “distal end” isthe opposite end relative to the proximal end. With “proximal direction”and, equivalently, “proximally” is meant a direction from the distal endtowards the proximal end, along the central axis of the cap assembly.With “distal direction” or “distally” is meant the opposite direction to“proximal direction”.

The present disclosure relates to a cap assembly for a medicamentdelivery device. The cap assembly is configured to be mounted to amedicament delivery member shield thereby protecting the medicamentdelivery member shield and the medicament delivery member. The capassembly is furthermore configured to engage with the medicamentdelivery member shield such that removal of the cap assembly from themedicament delivery device removes the medicament delivery member shieldfrom the medicament container prior to medicament administration. Themedicament delivery member shield may be made of a rigid material or aflexible/rubbery material. For example, the medicament delivery membershield may be a rigid needle shield or a flexible needle shield.

The cap assembly includes a cap body which when mounted to a medicamentdelivery member shield installed in a medicament delivery device formspart of a housing assembly enclosing the internal components of themedicament delivery device. Such internal components include themedicament delivery member and a medicament container. To this end, thecap assembly has an external surface forming part of the housingassembly, and an internal structure including an inner cap structuredefining a channel extending coaxially with the central longitudinalaxis of the cap body, and configured to receive a medicament deliverymember shield. The central longitudinal axis of the cap body coincideswith the central longitudinal axis of the housing when the cap body isfitted to the main body of the medicament delivery device.

Moreover, the cap assembly includes a longitudinal gripping memberconfigured to receive a medicament delivery member shield and to bereceived in the channel of the inner cap structure with a friction fit.The longitudinal gripping member has a first leg and a second leg, and aconnecting portion which extends between the first leg and the secondleg. The connecting portion may be seen as a hub portion of the grippingmember.

The radial dimension, or outer diameter, of the connecting portion mayessentially correspond to the distance between opposing inner surfacesof the channel, whereby the proximal portions are configured to bereceived with a friction fit, or a press fit, in the channel.

The first leg and the second leg are arranged opposite to each other andextend longitudinally from the connecting portion in a distal direction,i.e. away from the connecting portion and generally parallel with acentral axis of the gripping member. Each of the first leg and thesecond leg has a proximal portion extending from the connecting portion.Each of the first leg and the second leg also has a distal portionextending from a respective proximal portion.

The proximal portions of the first leg and the second leg are radiallyflexible and extend towards each other in an axial direction away fromthe connecting portion, in particular in the distal direction. Theproximal portions are hence inclined relative to the central axis of thegripping member, and extend radially inwards in the distal direction.

The distal portions of the first leg and the second leg are radiallyflexible and extend away from each other in a distal direction. Thedistal portions thereby form a distal mouth of the gripping member. Theconfiguration of the proximal portions and the distal portions forms awaist of the gripping member.

Each of the two distal portions has a medicament delivery device shieldgripper configured to engage with a medicament delivery member shieldwhen the gripping member is arranged in the channel, and the medicamentdelivery member shield has been received by the gripping member. Due tothe dimensioning between the first leg and the second leg, this expandsthe waist of the gripping member and flexes the distal portions radiallyinwards.

Hereto, the gripping member is designed so that the shortest distancebetween the first leg and the second leg is smaller than the radialdimension or diameter of the medicament delivery member shield.

Moreover, the gripping member and the inner walls of the channel areconfigured to engage with each other when the gripping member has beenreceived in a final position in the channel.

A main example of a cap assembly and a medicament delivery devicecomprising a cap assembly will now be described with reference to FIGS.1-5 b.

FIG. 1 shows an example of a medicament delivery device 1, which has notbeen fully assembled. In particular, the exemplified medicament deliverydevice 1 has an end cap or end portion which has not yet been mounted.

Medicament delivery device 1 has a housing 3 having a proximal end 3 aand a distal end 3 b. The housing 3 is furthermore provided with aninspection window 3 c enabling a user to inspect medicament contained ina medicament container installed in the medicament delivery device 1.

Medicament delivery device 1 also has a cap assembly 5 including a capbody 7 and a gripping member, not shown in FIG. 1. The cap assembly 5 isconfigured to be mounted to a medicament delivery member shield arrangedinside the housing 3. The cap assembly is thus designed to form aproximal end part of the medicament delivery device 1.

Turning now to FIG. 2, a side view of the cap assembly 5 is here shown.As mentioned above, the cap assembly includes the cap body 7 and thegripping member 9. The exemplified cap body 7 has an inner and an outerconcentrically arranged cylindrical structure. To this end, the cap body7 has an external surface 7 c having an essentially cylindricalstructure and an inner cap structure 7 a which also is essentiallycylindrical. The inner cap structure 7 a is hollow and defines alongitudinal channel 7 b that has a distal end opening. The channel 7 bis configured to receive the gripping member 9.

The gripping member 9 has a longitudinal body provided with a first leg9 a, a second leg 9 b, and a connecting portion, 9 c. The connectingportion 9 c connects the first leg 9 a and the second leg 9 b. Theconnecting portion 9 c may for example be essentially cylindrical orcylindrical. The first leg 9 a and the second leg 9 b extend from theconnecting portion 9 c at about 180 degrees angle apart relative to eachother, as seen in the circumferential direction. The first leg 9 a andthe second leg 9 b are hence arranged opposite to each other.

The connecting portion 9 c has a radial protrusion configured to engagewith a corresponding recess in the inner wall of the channel 7 b.According to the example shown in FIG. 2, the radial protrusion is acircumferential flange 9 h extending along the external surface of theconnecting portion 9 c. The circumferential flange 9 h is configured toengage with a corresponding circumferential recess of the inner wall ofthe channel 7 b. The gripping member 9 can thereby engage with the innercap structure 7 a and retain its position inside the channel 7 b afterthe gripping member 9 has been assembled with the cap body 7.

Each of the first leg 9 a and the second leg 9 b has a respectiveproximal portion 9 d extending longitudinally in the distal directionfrom the connecting portion 9 c. The proximal portions 9 d extendtowards each other in the distal direction. The radial distance betweenthe proximal portions 9 d thus decreases in the distal direction. Eachproximal portion 9 d hence has an inclined section or portion. Theshortest distance between the proximal portions 9 e of the first leg 9 aand the second leg 9 b is smaller than the diameter or radial dimensionof that portion of the medicament delivery member shield which is to bereceived between the proximal portions 9 d. According to the example,the location of the shortest distance is in a transition portion of eachof the first leg 9 a and the second leg 9 b, where the inclinationchanges from radially inwards towards radially outwards in the distaldirection, i.e. a distal portion 9 e. As defined herein, this transitionportion forms part of the proximal portion 9 d.

Each of the first leg 9 a and the second leg 9 b also has a respectivedistal portion 9 e. Each distal portion 9 e extends from a respectiveproximal portion 9 d, in particular from a respective inclined section.The distal portions 9 e extend radially outwards, in the distaldirection. The radial distance between the oppositely arranged distalportions 9 e hence increases in the distal direction. The distalportions 9 e form a distal mouth of the gripping member 9, allowing thegripping member 9 to receive a medicament delivery member shield betweenthe first leg 9 a and the second leg 9 b. Moreover, the configuration ofthe proximal portions 9 d and the distal portions 9 e forms a waist-likeshape of the gripping member 9.

Each distal portion 9 e is provided with a respective medicamentdelivery member shield gripper 9 f. According to the present example,the distal end of each distal portion 9 e is provided with themedicament delivery member shield grippers 9 f. In the presentvariation, the medicament delivery member shield grippers 9 f extendradially inwards. In the exemplified gripping member 9, the distalportions 9 e extending between the proximal ends 9 d and the medicamentdelivery member shield grippers 9 f are inclined with respect to thecentral axis of the gripping member 9, and essentially straight, i.e.non-curved. Each proximal portion 9 d may also extend in an inclinedmanner relative to the central axis of the gripping member, andessentially straight, between the connecting portion 9 c and thetransition portion.

The first leg 9 a and the second leg 9 b are radially flexible orelastic. In particular, both the proximal portions 9 e and the distalportions 9 e are radially flexible or elastic, so that when sufficientlylarge radial outwards-pointing forces act on the first leg 9 a and thesecond leg 9 b, in particular by a medicament delivery member shieldbeing received therebetween, the inclination of both the first portions9 d and the second portions 9 e is levelled out or reduced, asillustrated by arrows A. The distal ends of the distal portions 9 e, andthus the medicament delivery member shield grippers 9 f, are therebydisplaced radially inwards as shown by arrow B, in case the grippingmember 9 is arranged in channel 7 b. The medicament delivery membershield grippers 9 f may thereby engage with the medicament deliverymember shield.

Although not fully visible, the exemplified gripping member 9 has fourlegs for reasons of symmetry. Alternatively, the gripping member couldbe provided with only two legs arranged oppositely relative to eachother. There could also be more than four legs, in theory generally anyinteger number that is evenly divisible with the integer two forsymmetry, or even odd number of legs if the legs are evenly spaced.

The connecting portion 9 c may optionally also be provided with radialsupport structures 9 g, as shown in FIG. 3. The radial supportstructures 9 g extend radially inwards towards the central axis of thegripping member 9. The radial support structures 9 g are configured toprevent a medicament delivery member shield from sliding past theproximal end of the gripping member 9, in the proximal direction, whenpushed into the gripping member 9.

The gripping member 9 may for example be made of metal, such as steel oraluminium, or a plastic material.

FIG. 4 depicts a longitudinal section of cap body 7. According to theexample in FIG. 4, cap body 7 has an external surface 7 c which formspart of the external surface of the housing assembly that also includesthe housing 3, of the medicament delivery device 1, for protectinginternal components thereof. As previously mentioned, the inner capstructure 7 b is coaxial with and concentrically arranged with theexternal surface 7 c of the cap body 7. The inner cap structure 7 bforms an essentially cylindrical channel 7 b having a distal end openingfor receiving the gripping member 9 and a medicament delivery membershield received between the first leg 9 a and the second leg 9 b of thegripping member 9. It is the engagement between the gripping member 9and the medicament delivery member shield that retain the cap body 7 ina mounted state in which it forms part of the housing assembly.

The cap body 7 has a recess, which according to the present example is acircumferential groove 7 f that extends along the inner surface of thechannel 7 a. The circumferential groove 7 f is configured to engage withthe circumferential flange 9 h of the gripping member 9. Thecircumferential groove 7 f is arranged in a proximal portion of thechannel 7 b thereby enabling engagement with the connecting portion 9 c,which forms the leading edge of the gripping member 9, when pushed intothe channel 7 b. In this manner, a majority of the gripping member 9 maybe received in the channel 7 b before the gripping member 9 and the capbody 7 engage with each other, and preventing the gripping member 9 frombeing axially displaced relative to the cap body 7.

The cap body 7 has a proximal end 7 d with a radial surface whichaccording to the present example is closed in the sense that in amounted state it forms a closed front wall of the medicament deliverydevice 1. The cap body 7 also has a distal end 7 e which according tothe example is formed by the distal end of the inner cap structure 7 b.According to the example, the longitudinal extension of the inner capstructure 7 b is greater than the longitudinal extension of the externalsurface 7 c of the cap structure 7. The cap body 7 may thereby receive agreater portion of a medicament delivery member shield, for a moresecure fit or engagement therewith.

With reference to FIGS. 5a-5b the cap assembly 5 will now be shownduring assembly of a medicament delivery device 1.

During assembly, the gripping member 9 is provided into channel 7 b ofthe inner cap structure 7 a, with the connecting portion 9 c forming theleading edge of the gripping member 9 when being placed in the channel 7b. The gripping member 9 engages with the inner wall of the channel 7 bwhen it reaches its final position in the channel 7 b. This procedure ofthe cap assembly 5 has already been performed prior to the assemblystages described below.

According to the example in FIG. 5a , the medicament delivery device 1is an injector, and the medicament delivery member is a needle 13. Anarrangement comprising a medicament container 11, a needle 13, and amedicament delivery member shield 15 protecting the needle 13, both ofwhich are mounted onto the medicament container 11, is advantageouslyinserted from a distal end opening in the housing 3 at this stage andmoved proximally within the housing 3.

In FIG. 5a the medicament delivery member shield 15 has not yet beenfully received by the channel 7 b or by the gripping member 9. Theproximal portions 9 d of the first leg 9 a and the second leg 9 b are intheir default position, extending radially inwards in the distaldirection. The shortest distance between the proximal portions 9 d, i.e.the transition portions, is less than a diameter of a portion of themedicament delivery member shield 15 that will pass by these transitionportions when pushed further into the gripping member 9 and the channel7 b.

The distal portion 9 e of each of the first leg 9 a and the second leg 9b extends radially outwards in the distal direction, which is thedefault state of the gripping member 9.

In FIG. 5b , the medicament delivery member shield 15 has been maximallyreceived into the channel 7 b of the inner cap structure 7 a and thegripping member 9. With “maximally received” is here meant that themedicament delivery member shield 15 has been received into a finalassembly position in the channel 7 b and the gripping member 9. Thisposition is achieved by moving the medicament container 11 further inthe proximal direction within the housing 3, i.e. to the left in FIG. 5bas shown by the arrow. The outer surface of the medicament deliverymember shield 15 pushes the first leg 9 a and the second leg 9 bradially outwards, away from each other, as the medicament deliverymember shield 15 enters the “waist area” of the gripping member 9. Sincethe inner wall of the channel 7 b limits radial displacement of thefirst leg 9 a and the second leg 9 b, the inclination of both theproximal portions 9 d and the distal portions 9 e will be reduced. Theshortest distance between proximal portions 9 d will therefore increase,allowing the medicament delivery member shield 15 to pass therebetween.The distal portions 9 e will thereby bend radially inwards. Themedicament delivery member shield grippers 9 f will therefore moveradially inwards to engage with the medicament delivery member shield15. As per the present example, the axial length of the gripping member9 is greater than that of the medicament delivery member shield 15,which is thereby fully received by the gripping member 9. The medicamentdelivery member shield grippers 9 f extend beyond the distal edge 15 aof the medicament delivery member shield 15. Moreover, the medicamentdelivery member shield grippers 9 f extend radially inwards beyond theouter diameter of the medicament delivery member shield 15 so that themedicament delivery member shield grippers 9 f can engage with thedistal edge 15 a or distal end of the medicament delivery member shield15 when the cap body 7 is pulled off, i.e. removed. It should however benoted, that as an alternative to the illustrated example, the medicamentdelivery member grippers could be configured to grip into the externalsurface of the medicament delivery member shield in case the medicamentdelivery member shield 15 is made of a rubbery or flexible material, andthe gripping member is made shorter longitudinally than the longitudinalextension of the medicament delivery member shield.

When the cap body 7 is pulled off the medicament delivery device 1 themedicament delivery member shield grippers 9 f engage with the distaledge 15 a of the medicament delivery member shield 15. Due to the fixedposition of the gripping member 9 in the channel 7 b, the grippingmember 9 will pull the medicament delivery member shield off themedicament container 11 to thereby eventually expose the needle 13 whenthe cap body 7 has been fully removed from the remainder of themedicament delivery device 1.

The medicament delivery device utilising the cap assembly according tothe present invention may for example be a manual injector, anauto-injector, an inhaler, or an eye dispenser.

The inventive concept has mainly been described above with reference toa few examples. However, as is readily appreciated by a person skilledin the art, other embodiments than the ones disclosed above are equallypossible within the scope of the inventive concept, as defined by theappended claims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A cap assembly for a medicament deliverydevice, the cap assembly comprising: a cap body arranged to be mountedto a proximal end of a medicament delivery device for protecting and forremoving a medicament delivery member shield, which cap body has aninner cap structure defining a channel extending along the central axisof the cap body, and a gripping member configured to be received in thechannel with a friction fit and to receive the medicament deliverymember shield, wherein the gripping member has a first leg, a secondleg, and a connecting portion extending between the first leg and thesecond leg, which connecting portion defines a leading edge of thegripping member when received by the channel, the first leg and thesecond leg having a respective proximal portion that are radiallyflexible and extending distally from the connecting portion, eachproximal portion having an inclined section extending radially inwardsin an axial direction away from the connecting portion, and a respectivedistal portion extending from the inclined section, the distal portionsbeing radially flexible and extending radially outwards in an axialdirection away from the proximal portions to allow the gripping memberto receive the medicament delivery member shield between the distalportions, the gripping member and an inner wall of the channel beingconfigured to engage to retain the gripping member in the inner capstructure, and each distal portion being provided with a medicamentdelivery member shield gripper configured to engage with the medicamentdelivery member shield when the gripping member engages with the innerwall of the channel and the gripping member has received the medicamentdelivery member shield causing the distal portions to flex radiallyinwards, the medicament delivery member shield grippers being configuredto engage with a distal end of the medicament delivery member shield. 2.The cap assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the configuration of theinclined sections and the distal portions form a waist of the grippingmember.
 3. The cap assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each distalportion has a straight extension from the corresponding inclined sectionto the medicament delivery member shield gripper.
 4. The cap assembly asclaimed in claim 1, wherein each medicament delivery member shieldgripper extends radially inwards.
 5. The cap assembly as claimed inclaim 1, wherein each medicament delivery member shield gripper isformed by a radially inwardly curved end portion of the correspondingdistal portion.
 6. The cap assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein thechannel has opposing inner walls that extend in parallel in thelongitudinal direction of the cap body.
 7. The cap assembly as claimedin claim 6, wherein the opposing inner walls extend in parallel witheach other along the entire extension of the channel.
 8. The capassembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gripping member is made ofmetal.
 9. The cap assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the grippingmember and the inner wall of the channel are configured to engage whenthe gripping member is maximally received in the channel.
 10. The capassembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein the connecting portion has aradial protrusion and the channel has at least one recess for receivingthe radial protrusions for locking the gripping member in the maximallyreceived position.
 11. The cap assembly as claimed in claim 10, whereinthe connecting portion has a cylindrical section, wherein the radialprotrusion extends circumferentially along an external surface of thecylindrical section, and wherein the at least one recess extendscircumferentially along an inner surface of the channel.
 12. Amedicament delivery device comprising: a housing arranged to receive amedicament container and the medicament delivery member shield, whichhousing has a proximal end and a distal end, and a cap assembly asclaimed in claim 1 configured to cover the proximal end of the housing.13. The medicament delivery device as claimed in claim 12, themedicament delivery member shield having a diameter that is greater thana shortest distance between the proximal portions of the first leg andthe second leg, wherein the longitudinal extension of the first leg andthe second leg is longer than the length of the medicament deliverymember shield to allow the medicament delivery member shield grippers toengage with a distal end of the medicament delivery member shield whenthe medicament delivery member shield and gripping member are arrangedin the channel of the inner cap structure.
 14. The medicament deliverydevice as claimed in claim 12, the medicament delivery member shieldhaving a diameter that is greater than a shortest distance between theproximal portions of the first leg and the second leg, and having aflexible rubbery external surface, wherein the longitudinal extension ofthe first leg and the second leg is shorter than the length of themedicament delivery member shield to allow the medicament deliverymember shield grippers to engage with the external surface of themedicament delivery member shield when the medicament delivery membershield and the gripping member are arranged in the channel of the innercap structure.
 15. A method of assembling a medicament delivery device,comprising: a) providing a cap assembly comprising: a cap body having aninner cap structure defining a channel extending along the central axisof the cap body, and configured to receive a medicament delivery membershield, and a gripping member configured to be received in the channelwith a friction fit and to receive the medicament delivery membershield, the gripping member having a first leg, a second leg, and aconnecting portion extending between the first leg and the second leg,the first leg and the second leg having a respective proximal portionthat are radially flexible and extending distally from the connectingportion, each proximal portion having an inclined section extendingradially inwards in an axial direction away from the connecting portion,and a respective distal portion extending from the inclined section, thedistal portions being radially flexible and extending radially outwardsin an axial direction away from the proximal portions to allow thegripping member to receive the medicament delivery member shield betweenthe distal portions, the gripping member and an inner wall of thechannel being configured to engage to retain the gripping member in theinner cap structure, and each distal portion being provided with amedicament delivery member shield gripper, b) pushing the grippingmember into the channel, with the connecting portion defining theleading edge of the gripping member, until the gripping member engageswith the inner wall of the channel, c) placing the cap assembly at aproximal end of the medicament delivery device, d) placing a medicamentcontainer assembly including the medicament delivery member shield intothe housing, from a distal end of the housing, e) moving the medicamentcontainer assembly in a proximal direction inside the housing until themedicament delivery member shield is received between the first leg andthe second leg and the medicament delivery member shield pushes thefirst leg and the second leg radially outwards, and the medicamentdelivery member shield grippers engage with the medicament deliverymember shield, the medicament delivery member shield grippers beingconfigured to engage with a distal end of the medicament delivery membershield.